Silas f



(ModeL) S. P. WOODWORTH.

SHEET METAL FOLDING MACHINE.

No. 426,352. Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SILAS F. WVOODWORTI-I, OF CLIPPER GAP, CALIFORNIA.

SHEET-METAL-FOLDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,352, dated April 22, 1890. Application filed October 29, 1887. Renewed March 27, 1890. $erial No. 345,493. (Model) To a. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SILAS F. WOODWORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clipper Gap, in the county of Placer and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sheet-Metal-Folding Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sheet-metal-folding machines as used by manufacturers of veneer fruit and berry boxes for preparing the narrow tin-plate binding placed upon the top of said veneer boxes for the purpose of holding their several parts together, in which one edge of the sheet metal is inserted below the thin edge of a plate and firmly held there while the other edge is being bent over and upon this plate; and the object of my improvement is to increase the capacity of said machines by reducing to a minimum the necessary handling of the stock. I attain this object by mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top view of a portion of an ordinary tin-folder. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of that portion of the machine shown at Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end View of the machine.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throu ghout the several views.

The transverse ridges a, projecting slightl above the plane of the upper surface of the jaw 11, coincide with the grooves c, sunk in the plate cl. The ridges and grooves, acting together as dies, crimp the strip of sheet metal simultaneously with the folding thereof by the movement of the jaw I) over and upon the plate cl, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 2. The ridges a and grooves c are so located as to make these criinps upon the folded strip of metal at points corresponding with the corners of the veneer box, over the upper edge of which these folded strips are clamped, thus forming a smooth binding and firmly holding its several parts together.

The jaw b, Fig. 2, when thrown back and down, strikes the shoulder s upon the reciprocating arm 6, causing said arm to oscillate the vertical leverfiwhich is pivoted to the horizontal discharger o, causing said discharger to shoot out with great speed and force and discharge the folded and crimped strip of metaLthus relieving the operator of that duty, and leaving the machine empty for the insertion of another piece. The set-screw g in the jaw b, striking upon the horizontal arm 6, throws it down at the proper instant, disengaging the shoulder s from the jaw I), thus allowing the spring h to reverse the motion of the device 0 and hold it in readiness for the next return of the jaw Z).

The incline i, Fig. 3, placed under the machine, is for the purpose of throwing the ma chine out of level, so that the strips of metal by their own gravity may more readily be placed under the plate (1. The table It is placed upon the machine thus thrown out of level to furnish a convenient place whereon to lay the stock being operated upon.

The operation of my improved machine is as follows: To fold and discharge a strip of sheet metal, it is placed between the upper and lower jaws of the machine, and the foldin g-jaw I), having a rotary reciprocating motion, is folded over and upon the upper clamping-jaw, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 8, and when thrown back the steel-clad corner of this folding-jaw 1) comes in contact with the shoulder 5 upon the reciprocating rod e, which is pivoted to the lever t, causing the long arm of this lever to move rapidly forward, carrying with it the discharger 0, which, shooting out, throws the folded piece of metal entirely clear from the machine. The return of the discharger o is produced by the contact of the set-screw g with the rod 6, depressing said rod just enough to disengage the shoulders from the bearing upon the jaw 12, thus permitting the spring h, Fig. 1, to reverse the movements of the entire mechanism, as shown in Fig. 2.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a machine for folding sheet metal, having two clamping-jaws and a folding-leaf, in combination with the discharger o, the lever t, and the reciprocating rod e, provided with a bearing 8, causing it to be operated by the movements of the folding-j aw b, substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

2. In a machine for folding sheet metal, having two clamping jaws and a pivoted foldingbar provided with the set-screw g, a discharging device consisting of discharger o, pivoted lever t, and reciprocating rod 6, connected to connected to leveli, and spring 72, connected lever t, and having shoulder s, as and for the to rod 'e, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth." purpose specified.

3. In a, machine for folding sheetmetahhav- SILAS F. VVOODWORTH. 5 ing two clamping-jaws and a pivoted folding- WVitnesses:

bar, a discharging device consisting of a dis- E. 0. SMITH,

charger 0, pivoted lever 15, reciprocating rod 6, C. J. CARLY. 

